Takarada Tinkering
by KRF
Summary: What is the President Upto NOW?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N : This is my first ever fiction that was put on paper. I want to sincerely thank Leaves Falling Up for taking time to read the first chapter and advise me on it. I also thank Isa Chan and dedicate this chapter to them. It took me a lot of time to get my courage up to post this chapter but I hope I can continue with out further hesitation..:) Please enjoy.  
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**Chapter 1**

Today, Takarada Shacho was being a Kenshin. He hadn't visited the talent section in a while because of various issues that needed his express attention. He liked to visit the section not just because of his cute Kyoko, but also because he personally liked the division head, Sawara kun.

Lory somehow connected with the man on some intuitive level and had an account of ever-increasing esteem assigned to him as he could see the way Sawara-kun tried to protect his charges just as a father would, his newborn baby (a father who loves his children anyway...) In fact, he looked out for Lory too just the same way despite the fact that Lory had a son the guy's own age.

"Sawara Dono! OHAIO GOZARIMAASU!" said Lory suddenly, falling into his character, in a low serious rumble. The usually attentive, pleasant and responsive Sawara did not reply. Lory looked closely to find him barely containing his increasing agitation and seriously going through a script from a pile of them lying on his work desk.

Lory tapped his shoulder. Sawara looked up and said "Shacho.. when did you come? " Lory sighed at Sawara's reaction and decided that it was time to play father to the young man and help him with his troubles. He turned to Kenshin Sensei from Rourin Kenshin.. and asked "What's got you on pins and needles Sawara Kun? What has got you so agitated that you did not even hear me call out to you? What are the papers you are looking at?"

Sawara hesitated and spoke "These are the new offers for Kyoko."

"That should have left you ecstatic.. the pile is quite large. You haven't given me the complete picture yet.. Why don't you explain in detail..? I am Kenshin-Sensei after all.. let my help! " Lory made an attempt at humor to get the man out of his agitated reverie and smile a bit, but he knew that it was going to fail...The man had sincere concern written all over his face. Lory said seriously this time "Out with it Sawara-kun.."

"Box-R aired yesterday... its air slot was not on prime time before, but by viewer demand it was moved to prime time yesterday. These offers are a result of that..."

"Why is that fact bothering you?"

"That kid.. Kyoko.. was too beautiful for her own good on Box R..." a very agitated Sawara said. Lory was not sure what he was getting at and waited for him to continue on. "All these scripts either want her to play a sexy vamp who exposes too much skin and makes too much body contact for my liking or want her to play a romance drama heroine that will mostly be in hero's arms... and... then some more..None of them so far is either suitable for a 17 year old or m have any substance to them... It feels like these nasty beasts want to rake money in by throwing the girl to a pack of wolves and let them tear her one tiny piece at a time.. bit by bit.." said a very angry Sawara. Lory noticed that Sawara didn't realize that he just spoke his thoughts out loud and that Sawara considered Kyoko like his own daughter.. His esteem for the man increased.

"Sawara-kun..." called Lory loudly. Sawara came back to the present and looked at Lory's face... He started to feel very uneasy and was trying to think what he could do to forestall the impending.. what should this be called? disaster? doom? mischief? .. sigh.. While he was at it, Lory continued, "Who sent these scripts?" A cold lead weight settled into Sawara's stomach..." Never mind that Kaicho... I will deal with them. You didn't tell me what you are here for?"

This was why Lory loved the department head.. He was a really good man.. He smiled, "Since you said you will deal with it...", suddenly.. he became quite mid-sentence with a very serious look on his face. Sawara waited to hear from him because didn't dare to bother Lory.

Suddenly Lory got up and said... "I will visit with you later... Just don't throw away those scripts yet." Sawara wanted to interrupt but before he could.. Lory continued.." am not going to find out who sent them. I just want to read them and I promise you I will not intervene with what ever your ideas are about dealing with the issue..." and he left the place.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Lory was staring out his office window. The magnificent view of Tokyo, illuminated by the setting sun was lost upon him. All he could see was that one very real performance of a certain girl that changed his little granddaughter Maria, where nothing else could. It had to be something very powerful to have that kind of affect on her, since nothing else he tried had worked: not words, not actions, not instructions, not punishments, not assurances... nothing he did worked to help Maria... But she changed the moment she was drawn into that act. Although indescribable, Lory knew that there had to be a lot of real experience to make people react in the way Mogami Saan got Maria to react. It was not just good acting. She connected to Maria on a very primal level, and hence she was so believable to Maria, which caused the change where nothing else was.

Brooding over the matter wasn't helping any. He was making a pattern on the Persian rug, pacing around over and over, when suddenly his eyes fell on the Grateful Party DVD. He remembered how Kyoko had reacted to Maria's meeting with her father. Involuntarily, he played the video. The scene where Kyoko was crying hard when Maria's father hugged her caught his eye. She was as happy as Maria at least, if not more, for the kid. What was bothering Lory? He could not quite place a finger on it and so he continued to pace restlessly.

Sebastian, watching his master, stared. It was for the first time in all his years of service with the man that he saw him pacing about so restlessly. It got him curious and so, in an attempt to help the master out of the pensive mood, he got Lory's favorite love RPG out and placed it prominently, where the boss-man would not miss it. When even that did not catch Lory's attention, Sebastian worried and started to look around to try and figure out the cause for Lory's brooding. A short survey of the room got him to notice the video, paused to show Kyoko, crying with happiness, while her eyes held an expression that was a curious mixture of great happiness and an unnameable but very evident emotion that looked like it was eating at the girl's happiness.

Now that he could guess what was bothering the boss, Sebastian tapped Lory's shoulder, in an attempt to get his attention. Lory got out of his fog and looked at Sebastian askance. " Mogami Saan... What about her?" he asked. " I don't know either and I don't like it one single bit." replied Lory. "Then TALK about it", he suggested. " With WHOM? " Lory wanted to know. Sebastian began to play the video at -0.5X speed. Once the flower show was over, Ren was giving her his hand Kerchief. He paused the video and looked at Lory significantly, to which Lory grunted derisively. He resumed the video and found Kotanami San glorying in Kyoko's appreciation of her gift. Again he looked at Lory significantly. Lory was watching. Sebastian saw the cogs in Lory's head turning and he left the master to his thoughts now... It seemed like Lory was over the worst road block for now, but something told him that Mogami San was going to be a puzzle that will take all of Lory's immeasurable talents to find a solution for.

Now that he was "unstuck" from his point of confusion, Lory could see what was exactly bothering him. This adorable girl Kyoko, had come to mean so much to him. He did not know much about her history but he saw that she was one gem of a girl. What was eating away at him was Sawara's remark " letting the wolves bite off... one bit at a time". He knew that Sawara was being dramatic in his anger, but his words rang strangely very true to Lory, albeit in a different context. The curious expression that caused his revere just now seemed to authenticate what Sawara said. He really wanted to find out what was eating away at her slowly "one bit at a time" .. what burdens this little girl was bearing, that were causing the pain in her expression.

Sebastian's suggestion was rather good. Kotonami Kanae... Not only did Kyoko consider her THE Best Friend, but also Kotonami San wanted the girl to be happy. It also seemed like she was Kyoko's confidante, from what he had observed. He could start talking to Ren too, but the trouble was Ren had more than enough to deal with, with out having to be dragged into the current plot he was cooking. He had a feeling Kotonami San would not say no to requests for help with respect to his "Happy Kyoko" project. Once he made up his mind, he called up to find out when Kotonami San was free. Thanks the Lords, in about twenty minutes was the answer he heard.

Kanae was, to best express it, flabbergasted. Why in the world was the President asking for a lot of her time in a private meeting up in his office? Wasn't it Kyoko's lot to fall pray to HIS evil schemes? God.. what _was_ the man upto now? She realized that she was acting just like Kyoko and it seemed to her that some of Kyoko's "active anxiety " rubbed off onto her nature. She smiled and thought " What ever.. I will find out in ten more minutes. Why am I fretting like Kyoko?" and continued to the office.

The long talk Lory and Kanae had only intensified Lory's zeal to meddle. He was burning up to push Kyoko to the river and to do his best to make her drink the water too... ( you know.. take the horse to the river and make it drink water.. Lory is imagining Kyoko as this awesome Palomino, who has been so thirsty and needs to drink water from his perspective.. You get it right?)

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A/N: There are a few things I need to mention before I conclude.

First and Foremost: All the applicable disclaimers apply.

Secondly: Sorry for another .. probably boring chapter, but it seemed important to describe it .. to me atleast..:D I am being evil i suppose, but hey.. I posted the second chapter with in 3 days of the first... so wait a little more for the action to happen.

Thirdly: I dedicate this chapter to my very first reviewers : darkreverie13 and krapagnou

Love,

KRF


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